"The Book of Souls" - Official pre-release thread (CONTAINS ALBUM SPOILERS)

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Well, maybe we should donate them some money for instruments and hour or two in studio? They will make masterpiece for sure so it will be great for both sides.
 
Today I went to the gym and heard one album instead of two at once and it really helped to enjoy the album even more. I think it's a masterpiece.
The difference with BNW, DOD, AMLOD and TFF is that not only the album is strong, the compositions are simply classic from the start...classic to the point of becoming all time favorites.

This is trully a new coming of jesus for Maiden. It's brutal, fancy, technical and feeling...it's got it all....
 
Adrian's Revenge said:
I didn't say it wasn't an outstanding song. It's a masterpiece. However, no song is perfect. I often think while I'm listening to songs, "gee, if I were writing this, I'd do x, y or z here." Our opinions about songs are subjective, and that's wonderful. Otherwise, there wouldn't be much point having a forum to discuss our opinions. I just don't understand how the same individuals continually repeat the same crap in post after post. It's a waste of bandwidth.
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This is off topic but the only problem i have with ROTAM is that it has a great rhythm, lyrics etc, then the slow, atmospheric middle (which i love) and then back to the fast rhythm all of a sudden, i think it would be better if it slowly crept up to the main theme again in the same way SSOASS does
 
Severian said:
SOL was the single so they pretty much have to play it live but i wish that they would replace it with a better "less likely" to play live song like WTRRD or DoG.
I understand why they released SOL as the single though, there are obviously better choices for a single like IESF or TOAC but then SOL would have looked pretty bad on the album
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It occurs to me that Maiden has released singles that have not been played live ("Women in Uniform", "Virus" and "Out of the Silent Planet", though the latter was played once). Yet, none of those were album-teaser singles, released before the album itself.
As for "Speed of Light", I don't think they would put it aside but I can't make up my mind as to whether it will be the opener.
 
Listened to BoS yesterday intensly. Today took a break for the whole day. Now I'm back to listen to it but not as 2 CDs but one album. It makes a big difference. So far my favourites are:

1. If Eternity Should Fail - The dream is true. The dream was always that Steve would allow something from Bruce Chemical Wedding/Tyranny of Souls solo efforts to be included on a Maiden record.
2. Speed of Light - still, but now it gives me this feeling like it doesn't belong to this album:)
3. The Red and the Black - hated it after first listen though
4. Death and Glory - love it!!! Bit "Montsegur'ish"
5. Empire of the Clouds - it is too long but very enjoyable journey.

Actually the whole album feels "Montsegur'ish" to me which is fine as I always liked that track.
 
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Woke up today to a message from a friend that said "NEW MAIDEN!!" and a Dropbox link. My first thought was to ignore it and wait for the actual release. Then I clicked on the link to discover it was the whole album and immediately backtracked and got downloading.

I have had a single listen and these are my early thoughts. Firstly I think the production sounded ok, probably will sound much better when I get it on vinyl and through headphones. Lyrically the album is very good and it is on the whole well delivered by Bruce. Musically there is tons of quality here, some instant hits and a few growers. Speed Of Light typically is the weakest point for me but I generally always have found that with the first single with a few exceptions. This sounds exactly like you would expect a Maiden album to sound, great tempo changes, blistering solos, tight rhythm and Bruce stamping his trademark all over it.

This album will be dissected over and over in the coming months and the initial novelty of new music will fade as it becomes more familiar. My first thoughts are that this album will be hailed a classic in years to come and it is amazing to me after listening to this band for 35 years that they can be ambitious and still produce quality like this. I'm not bothered by any negativity about any music I enjoy but anyone who doesn't get the quality on show needs their head checked. Going to have another go at it now that I have some peace to hear properly.
 
Severian said:
True. "Monkey From Hell" Would have been a better album title
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With Eddie drawn into a variation of this:
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:p
 
This album has completely thrown me off balance. i mean it can't actually be this good can it? it's unbelievable, i'm not going to listen to it again til the 4th and see if it's still so fantastically great!
 
When i hear the part ( the two chords) between 0:36 - o:44 in Tears of a Clown i'm thinking of Billy idols song
white weeding part at 0:27- 0: 35. Maybe i'm the only one that do this connection lol. Anyway, Tears of a clown is great.

The whole album is Fucking GREAT!!!!! Maiden did it!!!! The songs grows and now i think Shadows of the valley is one of the best!
 
Is this album not comparible with The Beatles White Album, Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti, Pink Floyd's The Wall or any other double albums as one of the greatest double albums ever..?
I have not been able to listen to any other music for 24 hours... :/ I had to force myself to listen to half of Dance Of Death for a while at least.

Everyone remember one of the 1st interviews we had (I believe it was the very 1st one with Steve) when Steve told Bruce "well you did it, you beat me you little booger" or something like that talking about Empire Of The Clouds?? I think most of us can agree that Empire Of The Clouds is a masterpiece, but The Red And The Black may be as great if not better as far as standard Maiden epics go! EOTC is somewhat on a different level from their epics. Definitely in a category by itself IMHO hopefully they can add to this category again someday... 2 GREAT epics on 1 album.. Excuse me but,
F***!!!!!:yey:
 
Nick2632 said:
Everyone remember one of the 1st interviews we had (I believe it was the very 1st one with Steve) when Steve told Bruce "well you did it, you beat me you little booger" or something like that talking about Empire Of The Clouds??
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I think he was only refering to the length of the song, not to its actual quality.
 
Every time Maiden release a new album, I always wonder if my most favorite vocal performance ever, Aces High will be topped. Well, it has been TIED with the opening vocal parts to The Red And The Black! I never ever thought that would happen! WOW!
 
harrisdevot said:
I think he was only refering to the length of the song, not to its actual quality.
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Im not exactly sure what I meant lol, but not the quality or rating of the song because like I said I think The Red And The Black might be even better! I'm not sure exactly why I would put EOTC in a different category, but possibly the length and the piano and everything in it. Now keep in mind, not a category that is above everything they have ever done, but up there with the epics! Hope that makes sence lol remember I'm not the one who officially decides what songs are ballads and which are rock or metal or epic or anything lol just my opinions.
 
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